American politics

Above the fold

Oct 10th 2007, 3:30by The Economist | NEW YORK

A ROUND-UP of some of the news that deserves attention today.

• The Republican presidential candidates debated in Michigan last night. Fred Thompson was physically present, but no one really noticed. Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani went after each other, but neither was very impressive.

• The administration is debating whether Israeli intelligence on a Syrian weapons programme justified last month's airstrike on the country, and whether it may justify a change in American policy towards both Riyadh and Pyongyang. This may come as a shock, but Dick Cheney wants America to take a more hawkish approach, while Condoleezza Rice isn't convinced that there's a credible threat.

• A team of private security guards opened fire on a car in Baghdad, killing two women, before speeding away from the scene. The guards say the car failed to stop after repeated warnings.